USM FIRST ASEAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTE WITH WORLD CLASS PRE-CLINICAL AND CLINICAL RESEARCH FACILITY

PENANG, 4 July 2016 – University Sains Malaysia (USM) became the first ASEAN higher education institute with world class pre-clinical and clinical facilities.

The pre-clinical laboratory, also known as Preclinical Translational Unit (PTU) obtained international accreditation from the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development – Principles of Good Laboratory Practice (OECD-GLP) through the Malaysia National GLP Compliance Program.

PTU is the sole facility in this country which has been recognized as a GLP pre-clinical research facility to conduct toxicity testing on pesticides.

The director of Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI) USM, Dr. Norehan Mokhtar stated that this significant success will benefit local researchers and industries in Malaysia.

Prior to this accreditation, local companies had to send products that needed to be tested to United Kingdom, India, and France. Now, the testing could be carried out in PTU USM.

“The accomplishment of obtaining full GLP accreditation from OECD, Paris, enables the reports to be recognized world-wide and allows for global and regional research marketing.”

Other than that, for discoveries that require clinical trials, AMDI also houses Clinical Trial Unit (CTU), a facility under Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM), which is of Good Clinical Practice standard, conferred by the International Conference for Harmonisation (ICH-GCP).

Dr. Norehan also added that the CTU is equipped with a diagnostic laboratory, Advanced Diagnostic Laboratory (ADL), which has been recognized by the International Laboratory Accreditation Conference (ILAC) to perform medical testing with ISO 15189 accreditation.

The success of forming PTU, CTU and ADL for pre-clinical and clinical work is in line with AMDI’s goals of combining integrative and complementary medicine with modern medicine.

Malaysian scientists and academicians are welcome to use the pre-clinical animal facility in PTU and it is hoped that these facilities will help strengthen the research and publication standard in this country and around the world.

Text : Marziana Mohamed Alias / Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa & Mohd Azrul Mohd Azhar / Translator: Kumitaa  A/P  Theva Das